Sports Minister Kofi Adams and Otto Addo
The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has revealed that he would have relieved Otto Addo of his duties as Black Stars head coach much earlier had the decision rested solely with him.
Addo returned as Ghana coach in March 2024 after signing a three-year contract with an option for a further two years.
However, his second spell in charge came under intense scrutiny following the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), sparking widespread calls for his dismissal.
Despite the criticism, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) retained faith in the 50-year-old, who subsequently guided the national team to qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
His tenure eventually came to an end just months before the tournament after Ghana failed to win any of their four pre-World Cup friendly matches, including successive defeats to Austria and Germany.
The GFA appointed experienced Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz as Addo’s replacement on a short-term contract ahead of the World Cup.
Speaking in an interview with TV3, Adams admitted he would have acted sooner.
“If the decision were mine alone, I would have sacked Otto Addo much earlier during the World Cup qualifiers,” he said.
Under Queiroz, Ghana reached the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup for the first time since the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
The Black Stars opened their campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama before holding England to a goalless draw.
Although they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Croatia in their final Group C match, Ghana progressed to the Round of 32 after finishing among the tournament’s best third-placed teams.
Their World Cup run ended in the knockout stage following a narrow 1-0 defeat to Colombia.
Attention has now turned to the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, where Ghana have been drawn in Group C alongside Cte d’Ivoire, Somalia and The Gambia.
The Black Stars will begin their qualification campaign in September as they aim to secure a return to the continental showpiece.
